Try our Advanced Search for more refined results
Environmental
-
August 29, 2024
Deals Rumor Mill: Ackman IPO, Covestro Takeover, Trinitech
Bill Ackman is reviving plans for an initial public offering of his new closed-end fund, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company is inching closer to launching a takeover of plastics company Covestro, and private equity owners are exploring a $2 billion sale of financial software firm Trintech. Here, Law360 breaks down these and other notable deal rumors from the past week.
-
August 29, 2024
Trade Court Wants More Info To Decide Generator's Duty Rate
A U.S. Court of International Trade judge won't yet resolve whether a Korean energy company could import the supermodule for its hydrogen fuel cell generator into the U.S. duty-free, saying he needs more information on the product.
-
August 29, 2024
Agency Says Homeowner's Appeal Question Is Too Late
An insurance agency pushed North Carolina's Supreme Court to toss a homeowner's appeal on whether the court erred by having heightened pleadings standards for punitive damages against corporations, arguing the deadline for debating the issue had passed.
-
August 29, 2024
Judge Asked To OK Settlement For Halliburton CERCLA Suit
Halliburton and more than 30 companies seeking to recover costs associated with the cleanup of long-accumulated contamination at a Superfund site have struck a settlement in California federal court in an attempt to bring to a close a decade of litigation.
-
August 29, 2024
Nippon Pledges $1.3B For US Steel In Quest For US Approval
Nippon Steel Corp. has pledged to inject an additional $1.3 billion into United States Steel Corp. facilities as the Japanese company looks to get over the finish line with U.S. regulators on its controversial $14.9 billion merger proposal.
-
August 29, 2024
Marathon Oil Stockholders Approve $23B ConocoPhillips Deal
Marathon Oil Corp. said Thursday it has received the necessary stockholder approval for its pending $22.5 billion merger with ConocoPhillips, as the companies race to get the deal done amid an ongoing U.S. regulatory review.
-
August 29, 2024
IRS Corrects Partnership Conservation Easement Limit Rules
The Internal Revenue Service issued corrections Thursday to finalized rules that curb the conservation easement tax deduction claimed by certain partnerships under the Secure 2.0 Act.
-
August 29, 2024
Kirkland Guiding Oneok On $5.9B Energy Infrastructure Deals
Kirkland & Ellis LLP is guiding Oneok Inc. on agreements to purchase Global Infrastructure Partners' interest in EnLink Midstream LLC for $3.3 billion, and GIP's interest in Medallion Midstream LLC for $2.6 billion, expanding Oneok's energy transport and storage capabilities in the Permian Basin and Gulf Coast, the company said in a statement Thursday.
-
August 28, 2024
Utah Counties Tell Justices DC Circ. Took NEPA Too Far
A coalition of seven Utah counties called on the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday to upend a D.C. Circuit decision revoking federal approval of a rail line to transport crude oil from Utah, arguing the ruling saddles the U.S. Surface Transportation Board with "endless make-work far outside its wheelhouse."
-
August 28, 2024
6th Circ. Frees Mich. City, Mayor From Lead Pollution Suit
The Sixth Circuit on Wednesday tossed all but one remaining defendant from a proposed class action filed by residents of Benton Harbor, Michigan, over elevated lead levels found in the city's tap water, finding allegations that the mayor misled the public to be vague and conclusory.
-
August 28, 2024
Red States Raise Alarm Over Methane Rule Retroactivity
Republican led-states and industry groups have called on a Tenth Circuit panel to reconsider its decision to vacate a district court ruling that partially invalidated an Obama-era rule limiting venting and flaring from oil and gas wells on federal land, arguing it could lead to retroactive enforcement of the rule.
-
August 28, 2024
9th Circ. Rejects Brady Violation Claim In CWA Conviction
The Ninth Circuit on Wednesday upheld a Seattle barrel cleaning company owner's conviction for dumping chemical-laden wastewater into public sewers, rejecting his argument that federal prosecutors kept information from the jury about the immigration status of a key witness who worked for him.
-
August 28, 2024
The Biggest Enviro Cases To Watch In 2024: Midyear Report
Environmental attorneys can expect to see several developments in pending litigation during the remainder of 2024, including two cases that the U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear about Clean Water Act regulations for San Francisco and the extent of the federal government's authority as part of environmental reviews for projects. Here are some of the biggest cases to watch in the rest of 2024.
-
August 28, 2024
Judge Stays Enbridge's Bid For Quick Win In Pipeline Fight
Enbridge Energy's bid for a quick win in its challenge to Michigan over the company's Line 5 pipeline must wait until Michigan officials' appeal of a ruling to the Sixth Circuit that seeks to overturn an immunity order is resolved, a federal district court judge said.
-
August 28, 2024
DC Circ. Rejects Challenges To Nuke Waste Storage Site
A D.C. Circuit panel rejected a slew of challenges to federal regulators' approval of a temporary nuclear waste storage site in New Mexico, ruling that the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission was right to include forward-looking terms about federally owned spent nuclear fuel in the license.
-
August 27, 2024
Enbridge, Mich. Battle Over Immunity Order In Pipeline Fight
Enbridge Energy and Michigan are swapping barbs over whether a federal district court should defer a summary judgment ruling in favor of the company over its Line 5 pipeline or wait until the Sixth Circuit has decided the state's bid to overturn a decision that it's not immune from the litigation.
-
August 27, 2024
Mich. Says Discovery Won't Save Dam Collapse Suits
The state of Michigan has urged a judge to cut off discovery and end litigation over flooding caused by the collapse of the Edenville Dam, arguing that continuing to exchange information would be fruitless because it's already clear that the state didn't cause the disaster.
-
August 27, 2024
Polluted Conn. Property Owner's Fraud Suit Deemed Too Late
The former owner of a contaminated Connecticut industrial property waited too long to sue the company that bought the site in 1999 on claims that the buyer fraudulently transferred funds to avoid paying for environmental cleanup, a state court judge has ruled.
-
August 27, 2024
Asbestos Claimants Tell 4th Circ. Bestwall Isn't Distressed
The official committee of asbestos claimants in the Chapter 11 case of Georgia-Pacific unit Bestwall told the Fourth Circuit that the company's bankruptcy should be tossed because commitments to fund asbestos liabilities by the parent mean the debtor isn't facing financial distress.
-
August 27, 2024
Split 5th Circ. Revives Tesla's Case Over La. Sales Ban
A split Fifth Circuit panel revived Tesla's case accusing Louisiana car dealers and regulators of illegally excluding the direct-sale automaker from the state, finding Tesla had done enough to survive dismissal by alleging a regulatory board that included competitors is biased against it.
-
August 27, 2024
6th Circ. Upholds Diver's Sex Harassment Verdict
The Sixth Circuit backed a jury's verdict in favor of a commercial diver who accused an environmental cleanup company of subjecting her to weeks of belittlement and harassment, finding she'd presented sufficient evidence demonstrating that supervisors and colleagues ostracized her because of her gender.
-
August 27, 2024
Kirkland Adds Energy Regulatory Pro From Vinson & Elkins
Kirkland & Ellis LLP has hired a corporate attorney who worked at Vinson & Elkins LLP for 16 years as a partner in its energy regulatory practice group.
-
August 26, 2024
Army Corps Looks To Trim Claims In Alaskan Gold Mine Row
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has told an Alaska federal judge that most of the claims asserted by a small village that's trying to thwart an open pit gold mine can't be supported and should be dismissed.
-
August 26, 2024
Banks' $20M Platinum Traders Antitrust Deal Gets Initial OK
A New York federal judge preliminarily approved Saturday a $20 million deal to resolve a nearly decade-old putative class action alleging Goldman Sachs, German industrial company BASF and two other banks fixed platinum and palladium prices.
-
August 26, 2024
Tetra Tech Accuses Atty Of Mistreating Witness In FCA Row
Tetra Tech EC Inc. claimed that an attorney representing a developer accusing it of fraud had mistreated a witness during a deposition hearing, pressing a California federal court to order the release of recordings capturing the alleged misconduct.
Expert Analysis
-
After A Brief Hiccup, The 'Rocket Docket' Soars Back To No. 1
The Eastern District of Virginia’s precipitous 2022 fall from its storied rocket docket status appears to have been a temporary aberration, as recent statistics reveal that the court is once again back on top as the fastest federal civil trial court in the nation, says Robert Tata at Hunton.
-
New Laws, Regs Mean More Scrutiny Of Airline Carbon Claims
Recent climate disclosure laws and regulations in the U.S. and Europe mean that scrutiny of airlines' green claims will likely continue to intensify — so carriers must make sure their efforts to reduce carbon emissions through use of sustainable aviation fuel, hydrogen and carbon offsets measure up to their marketing, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.
-
Recruitment Trends In Emerging Law Firm Frontiers
BigLaw firms are facing local recruitment challenges as they increasingly establish offices in cities outside of the major legal hubs, requiring them to weigh various strategies for attracting talent that present different risks and benefits, says Tom Hanlon at Buchanan Law.
-
Atmospheric Rivers: Force Majeure Or Just A Rainy Day?
As atmospheric rivers pummel California with intense rainfall, flooding and landslides, agencies and contractors in the state struggling to manage projects may invoke force majeure — but as with all construction risk issues, the terms of the agreement govern, and relief may not always be available, say Kyle Hamilton and Corey Boock at Nossaman.
-
Series
Glassblowing Makes Me A Better Lawyer
I never expected that glassblowing would strongly influence my work as an attorney, but it has taught me the importance of building a solid foundation for your work, learning from others and committing to a lifetime of practice, says Margaret House at Kalijarvi Chuzi.
-
3 Surprising Deposition Dangers Attorneys Must Heed
Attorneys often do not think of discovery as a particularly risky phase of litigation, but counsel must closely heed some surprisingly strict and frequently overlooked requirements before, during and after depositions that can lead to draconian consequences, says Nate Sabri at Perkins Coie.
-
Best Practices For Chemical Transparency In Supply Chains
A flurry of new and forthcoming regulations in different jurisdictions that require disclosure of potentially hazardous substances used in companies' products and processes will require businesses to take proactive steps to build chemical transparency into their supply chains, and engage robustly and systematically with vendors, says Jillian Stacy at Enhesa.
-
How Associates Can Build A Professional Image
As hybrid work arrangements become the norm in the legal industry, early-career attorneys must be proactive in building and maintaining a professional presence in both physical and digital settings, ensuring that their image aligns with their long-term career goals, say Lana Manganiello at Equinox Strategy Partners and Estelle Winsett at Estelle Winsett Professional Image Consulting.
-
Navigating New Safe Harbor For Domestic Content Tax Credits
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s recent notice simplifying domestic content calculations for certain solar, onshore wind and battery storage projects, which directly acknowledges the difficulty for taxpayers in gathering data to support a domestic content analysis, should make it easier to qualify additional domestic content bonus tax credits, say attorneys at A&O Shearman.
-
Emerging Trends In ESG-Focused Securities Litigation
Based on a combination of shareholder pressure, increasing regulatory scrutiny and proposed rulemaking, there has been a proliferation of litigation over public company disclosures and actions regarding environmental, social, and governance factors — and the overall volume of such class actions will likely increase in the coming years, say attorneys at Mintz.
-
Firms Must Rethink How They Train New Lawyers In AI Age
As law firms begin to use generative artificial intelligence to complete lower-level legal tasks, they’ll need to consider new ways to train summer associates and early-career attorneys, keeping in mind the five stages of skill acquisition, says Liisa Thomas at Sheppard Mullin.
-
'Energy Communities' Update May Clarify Tax Credit Eligibility
A recent IRS notice that includes updated lists of locations where clean energy projects can qualify for additional tax credits — based 2023 unemployment data and placed-in-service dates — should help provide clarity regarding project eligibility that sponsors and developers need, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.
-
Think Like A Lawyer: Always Be Closing
When a lawyer presents their case with the right propulsive structure throughout trial, there is little need for further argument after the close of evidence — and in fact, rehashing it all may test jurors’ patience — so attorneys should consider other strategies for closing arguments, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.
-
How A Bumblebee Got Under Calif. Wildlife Regulator's Bonnet
A California bumblebee's listing as an endangered species could lead to a regulatory quagmire as California Department of Fish and Wildlife permits now routinely include survey requirements for the bee, but the regulator has yet to determine what the species needs for conservation, says David Smith at Manatt.
-
Wiretap Use In Cartel Probes Likely To Remain An Exception
Although the U.S. Department of Justice's Antitrust Division has recently signaled interest in wiretaps, the use of this technology to capture evidence of antitrust conspiracies and pursue monopolization as a criminal matter has been rare historically, and is likely to remain so, say Carsten Reichel and Will Conway at DLA Piper.